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PeaPod™ Travel Beds draw regulator scrutiny

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has reportedly confirmed an ongoing investigation into a popular infant travel bed after Health Canada urged consumers to stop using the product. According to media sources, a CPSC spokesperson indicated that the agency is still reviewing a March 16, 2012, report that KidCo, Inc.’s PeaPod™ Travel Beds allegedly contributed to a suffocation-related fatality.

CPSC’s statement apparently followed Health Canada’s decision to issue a consumer advisory about the infant beds in the wake of two incident reports filed by parents concerned about suffocation hazards. “Health Canada is currently in discussions with the company about how it will address the safety concerns related to the use of this product,” states the advisory. “In the meantime, the department is warning consumers to immediately stop using the product for infants under 1 year of age.” See Bloomberg BNA Product Safety & Liability Reporter, October 22, 2012.

Meanwhile, the consumer group Kids in Danger (KID) has pointed to regulatory loopholes in CPSC’s process for testing and approving children’s products. “The bigger problem is that when parents go to buy a travel sleep product or any children’s product, they have no way to tell which are tested to strong mandatory—or even weak industry—standards and which, like the Peapod, fall outside the scope of standards and so are sold with insufficient testing,” states KID on its Website. “The Peapod doesn’t meet the definition of a play yard, portable crib or crib, so is not covered by those standards.”